Combined cigarette dispenser and igniter



May 1935- L. M. JACKSON El AL 2,003,195

COMBINED CIGARETTE DISPENSER AND IGNITER Filed April 12, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l I Q I amnion 2 25 20 l. (/14. lie/hm 7%ZM/g May 28, 1935. JACKSON Er AL 2,003,195

COMBINED CIGARETTE DISPENSER AND IGNITER Filed April 12, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fab 3'6 gwmmtocs Z. M. Ja c/rao/z ad/fij reacoff abtozmq Patented May 28, 1935 PATENT OFFICE COMBINED CIGARETTE DISPENSER AND IGNITER Luther M. Jackson and Clyde A. Prescott,

Middletown, Pa.

Application April 12, 1933, Serial No. 665,785

2 Claims.

ing the same into position against an electric igniting element and closing an electric circuit for the igniting element at a single operation.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a device of this character for use upon automobiles and the like whereby the driver may easily and quickly accomplish the dispensing and lighting of a cigarette without releasing control of the steering wheel.

Another object is to provide novel means for engaging the cigarette after being dispensed, for moving the same into a positive contact with the igniting element and substantially clamping the same in such contacting position during the igniting action, such clamping action being controlled by the device provided for feeding the cigarettes from the casing.

A further object is to provide a device of this character embodying certain refinements in con struction to enable the assembling of the several parts in an efficient and compact manner and with a view toward mounting the device in position upon the automobile without necessitating any changes or alterations therein.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description together with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout and in which Figure 1 is a front elevational view,

Figure 2 is a top plan view,

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on a line 3-3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on a line 4-4 of Figure 1 and Y Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the support for the spring actuated arm.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration we have dis closed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 5 designates the cigarette casing generally having its rear wall 6 inclined forwardly to form a hopper I therein. The top of the casing is provided with a hinged cover 8 and removably supported in the upper part of the hopper is an ash tray 9 having a handle Hi to facilitate its removal into and out of position in the hopper.

Thedischarge-of the cigarettes from the lower part of the hopper is controlled by a feed device comprising a sliding member ll having its forward edge provided with an upturned trough l2 extending forwardly of the member and upon which the cigarettes may be deposited singly from the hopper. A handle I3 is attached to the under 5 side of the sliding member and extends forwardly of the casing for manually operating the same in a manner to eject the cigarettes forwardly through an elongated opening I in the front of the casing.

To the edges of the opening H are secured a plurality of spaced spring clips 15 for gripping the cigarettes as they are moved forwardly on the trough l2.

To one side of the casing is attached a bracket l6 for securing an electric coil II thereto, the coil having an electric wire l8 extending therefrom and communicating with an electric switch l9 mounted in a compartment 20 in the bottom portion of the'casing. The switch I! also has an electric wire 2| connected thereto leading to a binding post 22 for attaching a circuit wire connecting the switch with the ignition circuit of the automobile. The switch is of conventional construction and is operated by an arm 23 extending through a slotted opening 24 formed in a plate 25 which depends from the under side of the sliding member ll. Thus it will be seen that the sliding movement of the member I I also serves to open and close the switch IQ for energizing or de-energizing the electric coil IT, as desired. The switch is arranged so that the forward movement of the sliding member will close the circuit so that as the cigarette is moved between the clips IS the electric coil will be energized.

To the side of the casing opposite from the electric coil is arranged an arm 26 having one end pivotally supported by a pin 21 journalled in brackets 28 secured to the casing.

A coil spring 29 is also carried by the pivot pin 21 with one end 30 of the spring engaging the arm to normally urge the free end of the arm 3| in a direction toward the casing. This free end of the arm terminates in a position to engage one end of the cigarette as the same is fed from the casing to move the opposite end thereof against the electric coil l1 and to substantially clamp the cigarette between the arm and the coil to insure the igniting thereof.

The side of the sliding member ll adjacent the 50 arm is formed with an extension 32 which is slidable in an opening 33 in the side wall of the casing and engages a cam 34 formed on the arm to maintain the arm outwardly when the sliding member is positioned inwardly. Upon the for- 5 ward-movement oi the sliding member the extension 32 rides past the cam so as to release the arm for engaging the cigarette for the purpose above described.

The igniting coil l1 and the arm 26 are enclosed within shields 85 and 36, respectively, the opposed faces of the shields having openings 31 and 38, respectively, in order that the opposite ends 01' the cigarette may be engaged by the coil and the arm.

While I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention it is to be understood that I various changes in construction may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A combined cigarette dispenser and igniter comprising a casing, a feed device slidably mounted in the casing for discharging the cigarettes singly from the casing, said feed device having a slotted member extending therefrom, a support for receiving the cigarettes from the feed device, an igniting element at one end of the support, a switch controlling an electric circuit for the igniting element, and including an operating lever having one end inserted through the slot of said member for closing the circuit upon cigarette discharging movement of the feed device and a spring actuated arm for moving the cigarette against the igniting element, said arm being normally held out of cigarette engaging position by the feed device and released thereby upon discharging movement of the feed device and said arm further being moved out of cigarette engaging position by the feed device upon an opposite movement thereof.

2. A combined cigarette dispenser and igniter comprising a casing, a cigarette receiving element, a feed device reciprocably mounted beneath the casing for delivering cigarettes singly from the casing to said receiving element, upon movement of the feed device in one direction, an igniting element at one end of the receiving element, a switch electrically connected with the igniting element, said switch being operatively connected with the feed device for closing the circuit upon discharging movement of the feed device, a spring actuated arm for moving the cigarette against the igniting element, a cam on the arm and an extension carried by the feed device in slidable engagement with the cam, said cam and extension normally holding the arm out of cigarette engaging position, the.extension being moved out of contact with the cam for releasing the arm upon the completion of the discharging movement of the feed device and said extension acting on the cam for moving the arm out of cigarette engaging position upon a movement oi! the feed device in an opposite direction.

LUTHER M. JACKSON. CLYDE A. PRESC O'II. 

